The True Story Of Two Male Penguins Comes To Life On Stage In World Premiere and UK Tour of PENGUINS

The true story of two male penguins in New York's Central Park Zoo comes to life in a new show for children at Birmingham Repertory Theatre next month before embarking on a UK tour.

Inspired by a report in the New York Times that touched hearts worldwide, Penguins tells the story of Roy and Silo, two male Chinstrap penguins who just like the other penguins at Central Park Zoo, walk, play, swim and dance together. When the duo decide to try and hatch a rock in place of an egg, they find themselves on an adventure that could mean raising a chick for real.

Penguins is a captivating mix of dance, music, and storytelling for children about friendship, fun, identity and the ever-changing meaning of family.

Director Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney drew inspiration from this story and has adapted it for the stage. He said, "I am thrilled to be working with Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Prime Theatre on this heart-warming tale. We have created a truly unique and uplifting theatre piece for young audiences and their families to enjoy. Penguins is a highly visual, non-verbal performance with beautiful music, wonderful magic and a message of love and family that we hope will leave a lasting impression."

Choreographer Carlos Pons Guerra also said; "I am extremely delighted to be part of such an important and heart-warming production as Penguins. I truly respect and defend director Paul Mc Eneaney's belief that children's theatre can speak valuable truths and carry important messages to young audiences. Penguins will be a fun, dynamic, quirky and endearing experience that will teach children about diverse families and that ultimately, what matters is that all children are loved and well looked after, regardless of the gender of who does it.

"It's a show that also celebrates being different and accepting each other's uniqueness through companionship. As choreographer, I'm creating the movement script for the work, which has no text, and we'll have three very charismatic penguins who happily dance to their own tunes, which I also hope invites children to discover their unique melodies and voices by trying dance and theatre."

Award-winning children's director Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney is the Artistic Director of Cahoots NI - Northern Ireland's leading children's theatre company that produces boldly innovative work for children and their families. His previously acclaimed productions include Egg, which has toured the UK, Ireland and USA, Nivelli's War, Under the Hawthorn Tree, The Gift and A Spell of Cold Weather.

Carlos Pons Guerra is an independent choreographer who has created work for companies including Rambert, Northern Ballet, Attakkalari (India) and ENDanza (Dominican Republic). He directs DeNada Dance Theatre, for which he has created four internationally touring productions. Nominated for the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards in 2015 (Best Emerging Artist) & 2016 (Best Independent Company), he is currently creating a new ballet for Ballet Hispanico of New York, to premiere at The Joyce Theatre (April 2018); TORO, an original full-length production for DeNada which will tour nationally in spring 2018, and Man to Monk, a duet commissioned by Sadler's Wells.

Penguins will feature three outstanding dancers - Corey Annand, Osian Meilir and Jack Webb.

Set and costume design will be by Sabine Dargent, lighting design by Simon Bond and music by Garth McConaghie.

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